End of the Day
by dontcountonit
Summary: Cause at the end of the day, I hope to sleep in your arms tonight. Kiss you and tell you I love you before I close my eyes. But we both know, Sasuke-kun, it's never going to happen. Sasusaku. AU.


DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN NARUTO.

Listen to "Been A Long Day" by Rosi Golan. It was the inspiration to all of this. :) Enjoy!

* * *

As she stepped out of the glass doors of the hospital, snow fell on the wool of her coat. Looking up, she closed her eyes and opened her mouth.

"What are you doing?"

Sakura opened her eyes and looked back down. She smiled. "Hey Sasuke-kun. Did you wait long?"

"Not too long." Sasuke had his hands shoved inside his black coat and she could see him shivering slightly. He turned his head to the right and she saw the red on his pale face and the white mist from his breath. "Well? Are you going to just stand there or are we going?"

Sakura chuckled and wrapped her arms around Sasuke's. Walking side by side, they walked towards their car. "Hmm. I love you, Sasuke-kun."

Glancing at Sakura from his peripheral view, he subtly tucked his arm closer to his body and bringing Sakura just a tad inch nearer to him. "Hn. Me too."

Sakura smiled and leaned her head on his shoulder. She detached from Sasuke as they got closer to their car and got into the passenger seat. The ride home was always silent, but Sakura wouldn't have it any other way. With her hand enclosed in his larger one, Sasuke pulled out of the parking lot.

* * *

Closing the door behind her, Sakura took off her coat and shook the snow out of it. Hanging it by the door, she took off her boots and placed them beside a larger pair of black boots. As she was about to take a step to go up, she heard tinkering in the kitchen. Laying her bag on the table beside the stairs, Sakura walked towards a dimly lit room. She saw Sasuke leaning on the marble countertop with a cup of tea in one hand and a cup of hot chocolate outstretched towards her in the other.

"Thank you." Sakura said as she smiled and settled beside Sasuke. "Hey Sasuke-kun, say I had to leave, would you be sad?"

Sasuke scoffed. "You're not going anywhere, hence I don't have to be sad."

"No, let's just say I had to. Would you?" Sakura asked, looking up at Sasuke as she peered through her steaming cup.

Sighing, Sasuke placed the empty cup behind him and crossed his arms in front of him. "Well, if I had to leave, would you be sad?"

"Of course!" Sakura answered almost immediately.

"Well, I guess you know how'd I feel then." Sasuke said as he turned his head slightly towards her.

After a few minutes, Sakura placed her empty cup beside Sasuke's and grabbed his hand. "Let's go to bed?"

Sasuke didn't reply, but he let her lead him towards their room.

* * *

Combing her hair, Sakura saw from her mirror, Sasuke getting into bed. Gently placing the comb back on the dresser, she stood up and walked towards their bed, flicking the lights off as she did.

With the room in complete darkness, except for the light from the window, she pulled back the covers and lay beside Sasuke. She turned to her side and saw Sasuke with his eyes closed and an arm on top of his forehead and the other on top of his chest. Without the need for words, Sasuke opened his arm. Sakura smiled and snuggled into his side and placed her head on top of his chest.

"Tomorrow's just another day, isn't it Sasuke-kun?" Sakura asked as she placed her chin on his chest to look at him.

"Ah." Sasuke said, his eyes still closed.

"We'll get through it, right?" Sakura said.

Sasuke opened his eyes, "We always do. Now go sleep already."

Sakura giggled and leaned forward and kissed him on the lips. Without breaking contact, she whispered "Goodnight Sasuke-kun. I love you, always."

"I love you too."

* * *

Eyes fluttered open, and Sakura noticed a blonde haired woman sitting at the foot of her bed.

"Pig?" Sakura said groggily.

"Good morning. Or should I say good afternoon. You've been sleeping the whole day." Ino said. She then placed her hand on top of Sakura's blanket-covered thigh and patted it. "Come on. Get dressed, Sasuke's waiting for you."

Ino stood up and walked out of the door, closing it behind her.

"Hmm." Sakura said as she softly smiled and threw the covers off her and walked in the bathroom.

* * *

Dressed in a simple light green dress and a white cardigan over it, she walked up to her car and saw Ino already in the passenger seat. Getting the car started, she began to pull off the driveway.

Minutes later, Sakura stopped in front of a rickety iron fence. Getting out of the car, Ino followed suit. Pushing the old iron fence, Sakura started her trek up the green fields littered with white cement. A few right and left turns later, she stopped in front of a familiar white tablet. Ino handed Sakura a bouquet of white chrysanthemum and white daffodils.

"Thank you Ino." Sakura said as she hugged her friend.

Turning away from Ino, she heard the crunching of leaves and Sakura was left alone.

Folding her legs underneath her, Sakura sits down and places the bouquet in front of her.

**Sasuke Uchiha**

**A beloved friend, son and husband.**

"Hi, Sasuke-kun. Just another day, right?" Sakura said she places her hand on the tombstone.

"It's been two years, and I'll be honest and say that I still miss you. It has been a little easier, thanks to Naruto and Ino and of course my family. How is it there? Are you with your family now? I hope you're happy. Cause, really, that's all I could ever hope for." A cool breeze passes through, and Sakura smiles.

"Naruto has gotten back to normal now, I suppose. Although he's changed, a little bit. He doesn't eat as much ramen as he did before. But every time he does he always buys an extra one and places it in front of the seat beside him. He may not say it, but I'm sure he misses you too." The trees around her ruffle with the wind, and the leaves dance around her.

"And me, well I'm better. I've kept my hair short, since you've told me that how ridiculous the rumor that he would prefer a woman for the length of hair. I've been taking more days off, and I go home as soon as my shift is over." A mild gust hits her from behind and her hair tousled in front of her face. "Well most of the time. I swear. And yes, I've kept the house very clean and clutter free. You and your annoying need to be constantly and obsessively neat. But you're my neat freak. And I wouldn't have you any other way." A warm breeze surrounds her and closes her eyes as she lets out a breath.

Sakura sits up and kneels in front of Sasuke's tombstone. She leans her head on the white cool granite and she traces her hand on the top of it. Sakura whispers, "I miss you so much. But I promised you, I'll get through this we'll get through this. I'll come back soon, Sasuke-kun. I love you, always."

* * *

No one walks beside her as she goes to her car. _Their car._

She isn't at the passenger seat. _And there is no one to hold her hand._

She's driving home alone, and the radio is on. _Cause the silence brings her pain._

There is only one pair of boots by the door. _Because it's been too long. Too long to hold on to things that remind her of him._

She sees no one behind her as she combs her hair in front of the mirror. _And she knows she is all alone._

There is no warmth on the other side of the bed. _No one to hold her and kiss her goodnight. _

She is sad, but she knows. She knows, as soon as she closes her eyes, she will see him in her dreams again.

Unbeknownst to her, in the dimly lit kitchen downstairs, on the pristine white marble countertop in the place they used to call their home _and the place where they get to see each other as she sleeps._

Are two empty, unwashed and used cups.

* * *

_Cause there are things better left unexplained. And all we can do is have faith and believe that things happen for a reason._

_And hopefully, things driven apart, will find themselves together again._

* * *

note. Just to clarify things:

1. The scene with Sasuke in it, it was in Sakura's dream.

2. Ino wasn't with her when she left. Just because.

3. And also, the way Sasuke died. I didn't feel the need to explain how or say how, for that matter. I thought that if I did, the story may become dragging. So yeah.

So anyway. This story is my personal favorite. And I've put alot of heart into this. So I hope I got everything I wanted to say written out just perfectly. I am hoping that some of you (if not all) would review and let me know what you guys think. :)

lovelove. dontcountonit. :)


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